Work feeding and clamping means for metal-working machines



' 1,637,176 July 1927' F. M. DAVIS WORK FEEDING ANb CLAMPING MEANS FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES Filed Nov. 5, 1924 7 ATTORNEYS. Z

Patented July 26, 1927.

FRANK; M DAV-IS; OE MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

WORK FEEDING ANDtCLAMIINGnMEANSFOR ,METAL-WOBKING IMIACHINIES.v

Application filed November 3, 1924, Serial No. 747,527.

The invent-ion relates to metal-Working machines.

An object of the invention is to provide a, feeding,- and, clamping meansfor metal ,working; machines in which the work is automatically clamped to the Work carrier ina vise mechanism actuated an element travellingg withthe carrier during; the-cutting operation, whereby the work is held firmly against rotation;

Another'object of the invention is toprovide a( work-feedingand clamping means for inetal-Iworking, machines operating on cylindrical objects suchuas rods or. tubes, whereby. successive. Work-pieces. arev rapidly fedito the maohineforia cutting operation and are removed therefrom by gravity when finished.-

The invention further-consists in the several features hereinafter, set i forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conchh sion hereof I The drawing showsuthe mechanism-eruhodying the. invention applied to vaumachine for endqvorking, such asthreading, a ltl'ilflS- verse section; being, taken through i the machine at. an: intermediate plane 1 and parts of-the mechanism being'bi-oken away,

In thedrawingythe numeral 10 desig-imtes a part of z the frame of a thread cuttin-g machine including longitudinally extending tubular members-l1, 12. 13 and 14. A-rotatingr. workk mandrelv 15 v is;- journalled inthe frame-.- and thread i cuttingdies;- 16* are disposed 1 about the mandrel and rotate therewith. These: parts and their arrangement are-.illustrative only,- as'the invention is a pp lieablev to differentforms: of metal Work ing machines.

The, work mandrel 15xt0g8l'zllBPVltl1. a worku-eceiving means; such asaxiall'y-spaced spiders lfi forms a, workwarrier: The-spi ders-17 v are mounted on the mandrel -to retate therewith and arewprovidediwith jaws 18 to receive the work, such aspipes 18, but the workcarrier is not restricted to this f01'I'Il.,flS it: is capable of many modifications amlichangestosuit it to theworkat hand. It is understood. that the. inventionoin its broadest" aspecttis,v not to be. limited to: a rotating carrier.

The spiders 17 are providedlwith substantially radiallyextendmg work-receiving fingersnli) preferably having their outer ends .20 curved in; the direction of'movement and having their inner ends adjacent the jaws 18.

The work-pieces in the form ofjtubes 21, or rods are placed to roll by gravity'to- Wards the spidersl't' in contiguous sequence on inclined supports 22 (one being shown), which areprovided at their lower ends with upwardly curved'jstop members 23 so that the foremostworkpiece lies in thepath ofthe upwardly moving curved outer ends of the fingers-19H A guide member'24 overlies the row of work-pieces on the inclined supports QQJto-insure proper feed to. the work carrier but terminates short of the outer end ofthe inclined support to permit the. work-pieces to be stacked on the" sup;- pprt.

A clamping band, such as acable 25, is mounted'on guide pulleys 26,' 27, and 28. Pi'llleys 26 and 28 are journalled on shafts 29and,30. respectively mounted on frame members- 31 and 32, respectively, secured to the frame 10. These pulleys bear such a relation to each other as to permita loop or bend=33 to be formed in the cable partially surrounding the spider 17. The cable engages the curved outer surfaces of a numb'er of'levers34 pivotally connected to the spider intern'iediate their ends and each having a toggle member 35 pivotally connected thereto to form a toggle joint. Each toggle member is providediwith a jawportion 36 adapted. to cooperate with the jaw 18 on the spider to clamp a pipe or other workpiece between them. Each of the levers 34 has its inner end connected with a springB'Z secured to the spiderto separate the Work-clamping jaws for receiving and discharging the Work. The jaw-forming toggle members together with their respective cable-engaging levers 34 form a-series of toggle clamping mechanisms rotatable with the carrier.

The pulley 27' is-mounted on a shaft 38 secured to the upper end of'a lever 39 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the tubular frame member 13. The lower end of the lever 39 receives one end of a rod 40 havinga plate 41 secured to its other end and bearingagainst a spring 42 mounted in the frame member 32, a. nut 4L3 being threaded on the rod and bearing against the lever to-adjust the tension of the spring. The spring 42 acting on thepulley 21. serves to tension or tighten the cable against the levers 34: of the toggle mechanisms to gaged by the succeeding fingers.

As the mandrel rotates the cable engages the rising lever 34 on the toggle mechanism and swings it against the action of the spring 37 to move the toggle member 35 along a guide surface 44 so that its jaw portion 36 engages the work-piece resting on the jaw 18 on thespider. I

The work-piece is then firmly clamped in the jaws 18 and 36 against rotation and longitudinal movement by the toggle mechs anism, the jaws being'preferably provided with polygonal clamping surfaces to equalize the pressure on the work-piece and avoid deformation, especially of a pipe. The threading die 16,.when a threading operation is desired, is then moved onto the pipe to cut threads thereon and is released when the operation is complete. Itwill be understood however, that other operations, such as mil1- ing, sawing, drilling, and grinding, may be performed instead. i

As the work-piece approaches the lower part of its movement and the die has been released, the cable leaves its pressure engagement with the lever of the toggle mechanism, permitting the clamping jaws to open and discharge the work-piece, which rolls down thefingers 19 onto an inclined portion of the frame 10, from which it leaves the machine.. a

The work-picces;are firmly clamped on the work carrier against rotation and are properly fed .to the machine and discharged therefrom' without any attention from the operator, other than placing quantities of wort-pieces on the outer ends of the inclined supports 22.; The thread-cutting or other operation proceeds rapidly and simultaneously on a number of work-pieces, which make; it possible to produce large quantities of finished pieces in a short. time. The provi sion of a tcnsioned band acting upon the toggle-clamping mechanisms not only affords a common yielding means for avoiding excessive clamping pressures in cases where clamping pressures must be limited but also imposes a, uniform pressure on the several clamping mechanisms. What I claim as new and by Letters Patent is:

1. 111a metal-working machine, the combination of a movable work carrier, toggle desire to secure clamping mechanism movable with the work carrier, a cutting tool, and a yicldable tensioncd band travelling with the work carrier during the cutting operation and operatively engageable at intervals with the loggle clan'iping mechanism for clamping the work on the carrier.

.2. In a metal-working machine, the combination of a movable work carrier, toggle clamping mechanism movable with the work carrier, a cutting tool, and an endless yieldable tensioned band travelling with the work carrier during the cutting operation and intermittently engageable with the toggle clamping mechanism for clamping the work on the carrier. 1

3. In a metal-working machine, the combination of a rotatable work carrier, toggle clamping mechanism movable with the work carrier, :1. cutting tool, and an endless yieldable tensioned band travelling with the work carrier during the cutting operation and engageable with the toggle clamping mechanism during part of the travel of said mechanism for clamping the work on the carrier.

4. In a metal-working machine, the combination of a rotatable work carrier having relatively .fixed work-receiving jaws, movable jaw members cooperating therewith and connected to the carrier, a cutting tool, and a tensioned band partially surrounding the carrier during the cutting operation and intermittently urging saidmovable jaw members adjacent said fixed jaws for clamping work between them.

5. In a metal-working machine, the combination of a rotatablework carrier having relatively fixed work-receiving jaws, movable j aw members cooperating therewith and connected to the carrier, a cutting tool, a tensioned band movable with and partially surrounding the carrier during the cutting operation and engageable with said movable jaw members to move them at intervals adjacent said relatively fixed jaws forclam ing worktherebetween, and means for hol ing said jaw members away from said jaws in the work-receiving and discharging positlons.

6 In a metal-working machine, the combination of a rotatable work-carrier having relatively fixed work-receiving jaws, movable aw members cooperating therewith, levers pivotally connected to the carrier and to said jaw members to form a toggle, a cutting tool, and a tensioned band movable with the carrier during the cutting operation and in termittently engageable with said levers. for urging said movable jaw members adjacent said fixed jaws for clampingthe work between them. i v

7. In a metal working machine, the com bination, with a cutting tool, of a rotatable work carrier having work-receiving recesses, means tor clamping WO1'{ pieces in said recesses during the cutting operation, lifting fingers projecting from said work carrier adjacent said recesses, 21 support along which work pieces move towards said work carrier, and a stop limiting the movement of said work pieces towards said work carrier andpositioning the foremost work-piece in the ath of said lifting fingers, whereby said ngers will lift successive Work-pieces over said stop for descent along said fingers into the recesses of said work carrier.

8. In a metal working machine, the combination, with a cutting tool, of a movable work carrier, a plurality of Work-clampin mechanisms movable with said carrier, an a yieldable tensioned band operatively connected with said work-clamping mechanisms during part of their travel to effect the actuation of said mechanisms and to provide a common yielding means for said mechanisms.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

FRANK M. DAVIS. 

